²ÝÁñÉçÇø

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY

ART GALLERY

²ÝÁñÉçÇø's Art Gallery houses innovative exhibitions, timeless collections pieces and unique outreach programs for the greater community. The gallery cultivates a deep sense of artistic expression by displaying works from various talented artists as well as students, faculty and staff from ²ÝÁñÉçÇø's esteemed art department. We strive to cultivate spaces for learning, reflection and cultural connection in support of our Augustinian Catholic heritage.

CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

Envisioning the Environment

Envisioning the Environment: Art and Sustainability at ²ÝÁñÉçÇø

November 2024 - August 2025

In Envisioning the Environment: Art and Sustainability at ²ÝÁñÉçÇø, students explore humanity’s past and present impact on the environment, using the university’s art collection to envision a future of sustainable coexistence. 

Curated by students in the course Curating Art & Public Engagement, the artworks in Envisioning the Environment offer a unique perspective into the current climate crisis—that of an artist. Though the works differ in scale, medium and subject, each asks you to consider what is at stake in our environment. No matter humanity’s interference, nature persists. 

      

Photograph of Violet Oakley, Jessie Willcox Smith, Elizabeth Shippen Green, and Henrietta Cozens,

Life As It Could Be: The Red Rose Girls

March 27 - May 17, 2025

At the turn of the turn of the twentieth century, the nation witnessed the Golden Age of American Illustration. The work of Philadelphia artists Elizabeth Shippen Green, Violet Oakley, and Jessie Willcox Smith—known as the Red Rose Girls—had far-reaching impacts on society during this period as it circulated through print publications and public spaces. The trio, joined by their companion Henrietta Cozens, relocated to the former Red Rose Inn in ²ÝÁñÉçÇø in 1902. The women embraced an alternative lifestyle: they achieved artistic and financial success, lived communally, developed intimate relationships, and vowed never to marry. The artworks and archival materials presented in Life As It Could Be offer a fresh view into the Red Rose Girls’ visionary approaches to art and life, which both illustrated and subverted the conventions of Victorian womanhood. 

EXPLORE SOMETHING NEW

Scroll through our past exhibitions, learn more about academic programs affiliated with the arts and explore thousands of collected pieces.

SUPPORT THE GALLERY

Your generous support helps us to enrich the intellectual and cultural life of our campus and community through dynamic exhibitions, educational programs and events that inspire students, faculty and visitors alike. Your donation directly impacts our ability to provide unique opportunities for students to engage with art in new and profound ways. Be a part of the creative force that shapes the future of art at ²ÝÁñÉçÇø.

Three students sitting on a bench looking at artwork